Liquid Dispenser with Anti-Retraction Feature

ABSTRACT

An improved nozzle assembly with an anti-retraction feature which is useful in conjunction with a container, such as a bottle, for the dispensing of a liquid, and particularly for the targeted delivery of a thickened liquid. The nozzle assembly is advantageously provided as an element of a combination package and delivery article useful for both storing and dispensing a liquid treatment composition which package and delivery article comprises the improved nozzle assembly. The improved nozzle assembly, especially when part of a combination package and delivery article is especially useful for the targeted delivery of a drain treatment composition used to treat slow running but especially clogged drains.

The present invention relates to an improved liquid dispenser for thedelivery of a liquid composition from a bottle to a specific locus. Moreparticularly, the present invention relates to an improved liquiddispenser for the delivery of a liquid composition, preferably athickened composition, which liquid dispenser comprises ananti-retraction feature.

The prior art is replete with containers and devices which are usefulfor the storage of, and for the later dispensing of liquids therefrom.Such include those for the storage of a liquid, such as a thickenedliquid, and for the delivery from such liquids, e.g., compressiblevessels such as squeezable bottles. Where the end of the bottle is notmerely an open end, a nozzle can be used to meter the amount of liquidbeing dispensed, and/or alternately direct the dispensed liquid exitingthe bottle in a particular direction. Such nozzles are typically singlepiece bottle inserts which provide for a short, restricted passage ofthe liquid to pass therethrough from within the interior of the bottle.Although such combinations of a bottles and nozzles are widely known,there nonetheless exists a real and pressing need in the relevant artfor still further improvements to bottle and nozzle assemblies, and inparticular nozzles and nozzle assemblies which can be used to controland dispense specific types of liquids, and in particular thickenedliquids through a medium such as standing water. Accordingly, it is tosuch an object that the present invention is directed.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided an improvednozzle assembly with an anti-retraction feature which is useful inconjunction with a container, such as a bottle, for the dispensing of aliquid, and particularly for the targeted delivery of a thickenedliquid.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided aprocess for the dispensing of a liquid from a bottle having an improvednozzle assembly as described herein.

According to a still further aspect of the invention there is providedan improved liquid dispenser which comprises an improved nozzle assemblywith an anti-retraction feature as described herein.

According to a yet further aspect of the invention there is provided acombination package and delivery article useful for both storing anddispensing a liquid treatment composition which package and deliveryarticle comprises an improved nozzle assembly with an anti-retractionfeature as described herein.

In a further aspect of the invention there is provided an improvednozzle assembly as described herein which is advantageously used for thetargeted delivery of a drain treatment composition used to treat slowrunning but especially clogged drains.

These and other aspects of the invention will become more apparent fromthe reading of the following specification

The features of the invention will become more apparent from thefollowing description which is to be read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 depicts a cross-sectional view of an improved nozzle assemblyaccording to the invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a top plan view of the nozzle assembly disclosed onFIG. 1.

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate a partial view of the nozzle assemblydisclosed on FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 depicts a farther embodiment of an improved nozzle assemblyaccording to the invention.

FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C illustrate cross sectional views of alternativeflexible valves useful with the nozzle assembly according to theinvention.

FIG. 6 illustrates an alternative embodiment of a flexible valve usefulwith the nozzle assembly according to the invention.

FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment of a process for the targeted deliveryof a treatment composition via a nozzle assembly according to theinvention.

FIG. 1 depicts in a cross-sectional view an improved nozzle assembly 10according to one aspect of the invention. The improved nozzle assembly10 includes a spout portion 12 from which depends a skirt portion 14.The square portion includes an outer wall 16 having a geometry which isadapted to be inserted into the opening of a bottle or other container(not shown) and to form a liquid-tight seal therewith. The outer wall 16is connected to the base end 18 of the spout portion 12, which base end18 includes a central opening 20 which in fluid communication with theopen tip end 22 of the spout portion 12. As is visible from the drawing,the interior of the spout portion 12 is hollow and defines a continuousannular space between the base and 18 and that the tip and 22.Advantageously, the spout portion 12 is also tapered such that itconverges as it extends upward from the base end 18 to the open tip end22 of the spout portion 12. Depending radially outwardly from the baseend 18 is a lateral plate 24 which provides an interconnection between,and a support for the outer wall 16. As is visible in the figure, theposition of the lateral plate 24 also acts to divide the interior spacebetween the outer wall 16 into an outward section 26 and an inwardsection 28, which are respectively bounded by the upper surface 24 a ofthe lateral plate 24 and the outer wall 16 to its upper margin 30, andthe lower surface 24 b of the lateral plate 24 and the outer wall 16 toits lower margin 32. Optionally but preferably the upper-margin 30 ofthe outer wall 16 includes a flange 34 which extends outwardly radiallytherefrom which is useful in affixing or attaching to the improvednozzle assembly 10 to the opening of a bottle or other container. It isfurther to be noted that a least one, but preferably a plurality of airpassages 36 are present and extend transversely through the lateralplate 24 and provide for a fluid conduit between the outward section 26and the inward section 28. The improved nozzle assembly 10 also includesa flow check means which provides an anti-retraction feature. The flowcheck means in the embodiment according to FIG. 1 is provided as aflexible valve 40 which is present as part of the improved nozzleassembly 10. The flexible valve 40 includes a hollow barrel portion 42which is continuously open at one end 44 and at the other end isprovided a check-valve, here provided as a matched pair of flaps 46 a,46 b which, when the flexible valve 40 is unstressed, are biased into asealing position as is illustrated. Extending radially outwardly fromthe hollow barrel portion 42 is a circumferential flap 48 whichfunctions as a second check-valve, which when the flexible valve 40 isunstressed, are biased into a further sealing position as is illustratedabutting against lateral plate 24 and sealing one or more air passages36. In the embodiment depicted, the flexible valve 40 is retained withinthe interior of the base end 18 of the spout portion 12 by means of afriction fit between the base and 18 and at least part of the barrelportion 42, which also provides for liquid-tight seal therebetween.

FIG. 2 illustrates a top plan view of the improved nozzle assembly 10disclosed on FIG. 1. In this figure is more readily seen the open tipends 22 which, as can be seen when viewing down through its hollowinterior or visible parts of the matched pair of flaps 46 a, 46. For thevisible is the spout portion 12, the lateral plate 24 including a seriesof air passages 36 as well as the flange 34. As can be seen, the airpassages 36 are within the outward section 26 and are understood to bevisible from the exterior of an improved nozzle assembly 10 when mountedon a bottle or other container (not shown). Conversely, while not shownbut to be understood, the inward section 28 faces the interior of thebottle or other container when the improved nozzle assembly 10 ismounted thereon.

The operating characteristics of the improved nozzle assembly 10 will bedescribed with further particularity on following FIGS. 3A and 3B.

Turning first to FIG. 3A, it is the understood that the arrangementdepicted is intended to be a partial view of the embodiment according toFIG. 1. FIG. 3A illustrates the condition of the elements from FIG. 1wherein the pressure at the inward section 28 is greater then thepressure at the outward section 26, such as for example wherein aflexible bottle or other container is compressed such as by the manualsqueezing of the same by a user, and/or by the generation of an internalpressures such as by the generation of a gas which may occur dependingupon the nature of a composition contained within the bottle or othercontainer. As is seen in the figure, the fluid (which may be a gas,liquid, gel, or other fluid) simultaneously causes the matched pair offlaps 46 a, 46 b to open which provides for the fluid to pass thereby(as indicated by the arrow “F”) and into the hollow interior 13 of thespout portion 12 and ultimately (though not shown) out through the opentip end 22 of the spout portion 12, while the same fluid urges thecircumferential flap 48 of the flexible valve 40 against the lateralplate 24 which functions to the seal the plurality of air passages 36and thereby denying the passage of the fluid to exit via these airpassages 36.

Turning now to FIG. 3B, this figure illustrates the converse conditionnamely wherein the pressure at the inward section 28 is less than thepressure at the outward section 26 of the improved nozzle assembly 10.Such may occur for example when a compressed flexible bottle or othercontainer it is released and is allowed to expand to an unstressedcondition which causes a pressure drop within the interior of the bottleor other container with respect to the pressure at the exterior of thebottle or other container. As is seen in the figure, the matched pair offlaps 46 a, 46 b of the flexible valve 40 or forced together and to forma seal therebetween which denies for the passage of any fluid “F” whichmay be present within the hollow interior 13 of the spout portion 12,but simultaneously, the circumferential flap 48 of the flexible valve 40moves away from the lateral plate 24 and permits for the entry of afluid, preferably ambient air, through one or more of the plurality ofair passages 36 (as indicated by arrows “A”) from the outward section 26and into the inward section 28. As the improved valve assembly 10 isadvantageously mounted within an opening of a bottle or other container,such an operation provides an anti-retraction benefit in that it deniesfor the return of any liquid which had been previously expelled past theflexible valve 40 and into the hollow interior 13 of the spout portion12, or alternately denies the entry of any liquid which may be presentin the hollow interior 13 of the spout portion 12 which had entered viathe open tip end 22 of the spout portion 12, past the flexible valve,into the inward section 28 and ultimately into the bottle or othercontainer upon which the improved nozzle assembly 10 is mounted. Thiseliminates the likelihood of contamination of the composition containedwithin the interior of the bottle or other container. At the same time,the operation of the circumferential flap 48 of the flexible valve 40permits sufficient passage of ambient air to allow a compressed bottleor other container to assume its unstressed and normal shape after thetargeted delivery of the composition contained therein.

The foregoing features of the improved nozzle assembly 10 and theanti-retraction benefit provided thereby is particularly advantageousfor the targeted delivery of a liquid composition through the spoutportion 12 particularly when the spout portion 12 is downwardlydirected, that is to say when a combination package and deliveryarticle, which may be in its simplest form a bottle or other containerhaving mounted thereon and improved nozzle assembly 10, is inferred itis such that the bottle or other container is directed verticallyupwardly and above the improved nozzle assembly 10 and the open tip end22 is directed downwardly with respect thereto. Such is particularlyadvantageous when the combination package and delivery article is usedto provide for the targeted delivery of a composition through a secondthat liquid, such as standing water such as may be present in a sink orother base and having a drain at the bottom thereof.

In use, the improved nozzle assemblies and the combination package anddelivery article are a particularly advantageously employed in thedelivery of a thickened liquid, e.g., a drain treatment composition,such as a thickened bleach containing liquid and/or alternately athickened alkaline liquid, and/or alternately a thickened acidic liquidto a desired position or locus. Such a thickened liquid generally has aviscosity of at least about 50 cps, preferably at least about 100 cps,yet more preferably at least about 200 cps. Concurrently, such anythickened liquid has a viscosity of not more than about 1500 cps,preferably not more than about 700 cps, and still more preferably notmore than about 500 cps. The foregoing viscosities can be easilymeasured by routine analytical methods at room temperature, such as bythe use of Brookfield viscometer using an appropriate spindle androtational speed.

Advantageously, the improved nozzle assemblies are useful in providingfor the targeted delivery of a thickened composition, e.g., draintreatment composition, especially a thickened bleach composition havingand alkaline pH (a pH of greater than 7, preferably a pH of 10 orgreater) to a specific location through a different standing liquid. Forexample, the improved nozzle assemblies are particularly useful inproviding directly to a sink drain or a sink trap a liquid compositionparticularly a thickened alkaline compositions such as a thickenedbleach composition which may provide a useful benefit in clearing adrain clog. Using the improved nozzle assemblies of the invention, aconsumer can conveniently open up a container such as any compressibleor squeezable thermoplastic bottle containing a quantity of a draintreatment composition, including but not limited to a thickened bleachcomposition, invert the bottle such that the tip is pointed downwardlyand extends through standing water such as may be found in a cloggedkitchen or bathroom sink, insert the tip has far down in the drain ordrain opening as possible, and then squeeze the bottle thereby forcingthe composition contained therein down through the nozzle assembly andthe directly in the proximity of the drain or drain opening. Suchminimizes the dilution of the treatment composition and may acceleratethe loosening of the blockage within the drain. When the compressedbottle is withdrawn from the standing liquid and released, theanti-retraction feature of the nozzle assembly ensures that none of thestanding liquid enters into the interior of the container on which thenozzle assembly is mounted. The nozzle assembly also permits for theventing of the contents of the bottle in a safe manner by permitting forthe exit of any gas which may be generated by the composition throughthe nozzle, while at the same time resisting the egress of the liquidcomposition. Such reduces the incidence of bloating and undesiredexpansion of the container when stored or between dispensing operations.

Although described primarily as providing a useful benefit in thetargeted delivery of a drain treatment composition, it is clear that thepresent invention can be used for the targeted delivery of othercompositions in a similar manner as that described above.

Turning now to FIG. 4 there is depicted a further embodiment of animproved nozzle assembly 10 according to the present invention which issubstantially similar to the embodiment depicted with reference to FIG.1 except that the embodiment according to FIG. 4 further comprises asupport washer 50 upon which a portion of the flexible valve 40 ismounted, and wherein the support washer 50 is positioned within theinward section 28 and between the circumferential flap 48 of theflexible valve 40, and the lateral plate 24. Such a support washer 50may be utilized for example wherein the configuration of the flexiblevalve 40 is inconveniently or impossible to directly mount to a portionof the spout portion 12 in the manner described with reference toFIG. 1. Further details of the flexible valve 40 ended the supportwasher 50 are described with reference to FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C. FIG. 5Aillustrates in a cross-sectional view a flexible valve 40 mountedthrough the central bore 54 of a support washer 50 and also illustratesthe respective positioning of air passage slots 52 with respect to thecircumferential flap 48 of the flexible valve 40. In the illustration ofFIG. 5A, a flexible valve 40 shown in an unstressed condition, that isto say when there is essentially an equilibrium of pressure between theinterior part of a bottle or other container (not shown) and the inwardsection 28, and the ambient pressure on the exterior of the bottle orother container and the outward section 24 of an improved valve assembly10 of which the flexible valve 40 forms a part. FIG. 5B illustrates aperspective view and embodiment of a support washer 50 illustrating thecentral bore 54 and a plurality of air passage slots 52. FIG. 5Cillustrates a side plan view of the flexible valve 40, including a viewof the circumferential flap 48 and flap 46 a.

FIG. 6 illustrates a further embodiment of the present invention and inparticular illustrates an alternative embodiment of a flexible valve 40according to the present invention. In this embodiment the flexiblevalve 40 includes a hollow barrel portion 42 which is continuously openat one end 44 and at the other end is provided a check-valve, providedas a matched pair of flaps 46 a, 46 b which, when the flexible valve 40is unstressed, are biased into a sealing position as is illustrated.Extending radially outwardly from the hollow barrel portion 42 is acircumferential base 56 which includes in an upper part thereof anannular trough 58 which is both in fluid communication with one or moreof the air passages 36, and with an inverted check valve 60, and via acorresponding conduit 62. The inverted check valve 60 is a second checkvalve which is directed into the inward section 28 and works in a manneropposite to that of the first check valve provided by flaps 46 a, 46 b.More specifically, when the pressure present at the inward section 28 isgreater than the pressure at the outward section 24, the flaps 46 a, 46b are urged to open and allow for the passage of any fluid past flaps 46a, 46 b while simultaneously, the second set of flaps 46 a, 46 b of theinverted check valve 60 are urged to close in denying the passage of anyof said fluid past them. Conversely, when the pressure present at theoutward section 24 is greater than that of the inward section 28, suchas when there is a relative vacuum within the interior of a bottle orother container upon which the improved nozzle assembly 10 is mounted,then the flaps 46 a, 46 b are urged against one another and are closedenying the passage of any fluid past said flaps, while the second setof flaps 64 a, 64 b are urged to open such as to permit for the passageof ambient air to pass through the air passages 36 into the trough 58,via the conduit 62 and past the second set of flaps 64 a, 64 b to theinward section 28. Advantageously, this also permits for the passage ofambient air into the interior of a bottle or other container upon whichthe improved nozzle assembly 10 is mounted. FIG. 6 illustrates thearrangement of the flexible valve 40 when there is a respective relativeequilibrium between the inward section 28 and the outward section 24,corresponding respectively to a pressure equilibrium between theinterior of a bottle or flask upon which the improved nozzle assembly 10is mounted, and the ambient air or atmosphere surrounding the. improvednozzle assembly 10.

FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment of a process for the targeted deliveryof a treatment composition, here a drain treatment composition from acombination package and delivery article useful for both storing anddispensing a liquid treatment composition, which package and deliveryarticle comprises the improved nozzle assembly. As depicted a bottle 70,here a flexible bottle advantageously formed from a flexible polymerwhich is sufficiently stiff so to substantially return to itsuncompressed configuration following release of any compressingpressures, is affixed via its opening to an improved nozzle assembly 10in a liquid seal-tight relationship. The bottle 70 is inverted is suchthat the spout portion 12 extends downward lead through a volume of aliquid 71, here water standing in a sink 70 due to the presence of aclog (not shown) within a drainpipe 74 downstream of a drain 72. Theopen tip end 22 of the spout portion 12 it is positioned to be adjacentto, in the proximity of, but desirably within the drain 72.Advantageously, the skirt portion 14 is above the top surface 74 of theliquid 71 so that the air passages 36 (not visible) are in communicationwith the ambient air and not immersed within the liquid 71. In use, auser or consumer, following positioning of the combination package anddelivery article 80 in the manner outlined above may dispense a quantityof a liquid treatment composition contained within the bottle 70 suchthat it passes downward lead through the spout portion 12, exits via theopen tip and 22 and is directed into the drain 72. When the bottle 70cannot be further compressed, it may be released which, due to theanti-retraction feature of the improved nozzle assembly 10 denies forthe drawback of any liquid contained within the interior of the spoutportion 12 to enter into the interior of the bottle 70, but which allowsfor the entry of ambient air via the improved nozzle assembly 10 intothe interior of the bottle 70 so that it retains its prior unstressedshape and additionally now also contains a volume of air trapped withinthe interior of the bottle. Optionally, but often it necessarily, theconsumer may then repeat the application process, and again compress thebottle 70 which forces a further quantity of a treatment compositiondownwardly from the bottle, through the spout portion and out from theopen tip and 22 and into the drain 72. This sequence of steps may berepeated as many times as is thought necessary or desirable by theconsumer. The utilization of the improved nozzle assembly 10 ensuresthat none of the liquid 71 enters into the interior of the bottle 70 toregardless of the number of dispensing applications providing a targeteddelivery of the treatment composition as hereinbefore described.

While the nozzle assembly of the invention may be formed of any of avariety of materials, advantageously the use of a synthetic polymersincluding thermosettable or thermoformable synthetic polymers such asare widely used in casting or injection molding. Exemplary syntheticpolymers such as polyamides, polyolefins (e.g., polypropylene,polyethylene) as well as polyalkyleneterephalates (i.e., polyethyleneterephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate), polystyrenes, polysulfones,polycarbonates as well as copolymers formed from monomers of one or moreof the foregoing being several nonlimiting examples of useful syntheticpolymers. Desirably the material or materials of construction of thenozzle assembly is selected also as to not be deleteriously affected bythe contents of the container which are to be used with the nozzleassembly. In the case where such contents are chemical compositions,e.g., aqueous or non-aqueous liquid compositions which comprise one ormore surfactants, solvents, etc., the use of a synthetic polymer whichis essentially chemically inert to such compositions is preferably used.In certain preferred embodiments all of the elements of the nozzle areformed from non-porous materials, preferably non-porous thermoplasticsynthetic polymers such as synthetic polymers based on one or morepolyolefins.

The flexible valve of the nozzle assembly of the invention may be formedof any flexible or elastomer material in his most desirably formed of amaterial which has a “shape memory” and which will return to anunstressed configuration upon the release or removal of any stresses orother pressures causing deformation of the same. Many syntheticelastomer scum as well as naturally occurring may be used includingwithout limitation natural and synthetic rubbers, neoprene,polyisoprene, silicone based materials and the like. Preferably, thematerial of construction for the flexible valve is one which alsoexhibits an acceptable degree of chemical resistance to any compositionwhich may be dispensed via an improved nozzle assembly as describedherein. Where such a composition as a liquid, which can be alkaline oralternately maybe acidic, silicone based materials are advantageouslyused as a being relatively simple to form, such as by molding into adesired configuration of the flexible valve means, provide a good degreeof chemical resistance and at the same time exhibit a good “shapememory”.

Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to thedetailed embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those of skill inthe art that various changes may be made and equivalents may besubstituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of theinvention. In addition, modifications may be made to adapt a particularsituation or material to the teachings of the invention withoutdeparting from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intendedthat the invention not be limited to the particular embodimentsdisclosed in the above detailed description, but that the invention willinclude all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.

1. An improved nozzle assembly with an anti-retraction feature which isuseful in conjunction with a container, such as a bottle, for thedispensing of a liquid thereform, the nozzle assembly which includes asthe anti-retraction feature a flexible valve which includes a hollowbarrel portion which is continuously open at one end and at the otherend is provided as a check-valve a matched pair of flaps which, when theflexible valve is unstressed, are biased into a sealing position, andfurther wherein the flexible valve also comprises extending radiallyoutwardly from the hollow barrel portion a circumferential flap whichfunctions as a second check-valve, which when the flexible valve isunstressed, are biased into a further sealing position abutting againstlateral plate and sealing one or more air passages.
 2. A combinationpackage and delivery article useful for both storing and dispensing aliquid treatment composition which package and delivery articlecomprises an improved nozzle assembly with an anti-retraction feature asdescribed in claim
 1. 3. A combination package and delivery articleaccording to claim 2, which contains a thickened liquid having aviscosity of at least 50 cps.
 4. A combination package and deliveryarticle according to claim 3, which contains a thickened liquid having aviscosity of at least 100 cps.
 5. A combination package and deliveryarticle according to claim 2 which contains a thickened alkaline liquid.6. A combination package and delivery article according to claim 2 whichcontains a thickened acidic liquid.
 7. A combination package anddelivery article according to claim 2 which contains a thickened bleachcontaining liquid.
 8. A combination package and delivery articleaccording to claim 2 which contains a drain treatment composition.